Baked Spaghetti

This is a good old-fashioned one-dish dinner, easy to prepare in advance and keep in the fridge until ready to bake.  It can also be frozen unbaked and partially thawed overnight in the refrigerator before baking.  If I am not cooking for a crowd, I split this recipe into two smaller 9" pans...one to serve and one for the freezer.  Baked spaghetti is a favorite of young and old alike!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound spaghetti or angel hair pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 pound lean ground beef 
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
• 4 cups prepared pasta sauce (use your favorite bottled variety or prepare your own)
• 2 cups creamed cottage cheese
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 cups grated Mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until slightly underdone. Drain and rinse. Toss pasta with 1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside.
2. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and onion and cook until meat is browned. (Use a potato masher to break up the lumps of meat while sautéing.) Add the garlic, salt and pepper. Sauté another minute. Stir in the pasta sauce.
3. Spray 9" x 13" deep-dish casserole with cooking spray.
4. Cover bottom with a layer of meat sauce (about half).
5. Spread cottage cheese over sauce.
6. Add the pasta and spread evenly in pan.
7. Spoon remaining sauce over entire dish.
8. Sprinkle surface with Parmesan cheese and top with mozzarella
9. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. 
10. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted  and bubbly.